Margaret A. Majumdar – författare

This glossary offers an introduction to Francophone Studies and a route-map to further study. Designed specifically with undergraduates in mind, it contains concise and accessible explanations of the key words, events, figures and concepts in Francophone Studies since 1945.From 'Afropessimisme' and 'Brazzaville Declaration' to 'Setif Uprising' and 'Wilaya', it gives an interdisciplinary overview of Francophone Studies, and offers directions for further reading. Covering politics, popular culture, private life, cultural institutions and significant events, the entries are fully cross-referenced and assume no prior knowledge, making this an essential reference for students of Francophone Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Routledge Handbook of Francophone Africa brings together a multidisciplinary team of international experts to reflect on the history, politics, societies, and cultures of French-speaking parts of Africa.Consisting of approximately 35% of Africa’s territory, Francophone Africa is a shifting concept, with its roots in French and Belgian colonial rule. This handbook develops and problematizes the term, with thematic sections covering:Colonial and post-colonial ties between France and sub-Saharan AfricaBelgium, Belgian colonialism and AfricaThe MaghrebAfrican Francophones in FranceFrancophone African literature and film‘Francophone’ and ‘Anglophone’ AfricaBeyond national boundaries and ‘colonial partners’The chapters demonstrate the evolution of "Francophone Africa" into a multi-dimensional construct, with both a material and an imagined reality. Materially, it defines a regional territorial space that coexists with other conceptualisations of African space and borders. Conceptually, Francophone Africa constitutes a shared linguistic and cultural space within which collective memories are shared, not least through their connection to the French imperial imagination. Overall, the Handbook demonstrates that as global power structures and relations evolve, African agency is increasingly assertive in shaping French-African relations.Bringing this important debate together into a single volume, this Handbook will be an essential resource for students and scholars interested in Francophone Africa.

The Routledge Handbook of Francophone Africa brings together a multidisciplinary team of international experts to reflect on the history, politics, societies, and cultures of French-speaking parts of Africa.Consisting of approximately 35% of Africa’s territory, Francophone Africa is a shifting concept, with its roots in French and Belgian colonial rule. This handbook develops and problematizes the term, with thematic sections covering:Colonial and post-colonial ties between France and sub-Saharan AfricaBelgium, Belgian colonialism and AfricaThe MaghrebAfrican Francophones in FranceFrancophone African literature and film‘Francophone’ and ‘Anglophone’ AfricaBeyond national boundaries and ‘colonial partners’The chapters demonstrate the evolution of "Francophone Africa" into a multi-dimensional construct, with both a material and an imagined reality. Materially, it defines a regional territorial space that coexists with other conceptualisations of African space and borders. Conceptually, Francophone Africa constitutes a shared linguistic and cultural space within which collective memories are shared, not least through their connection to the French imperial imagination. Overall, the Handbook demonstrates that as global power structures and relations evolve, African agency is increasingly assertive in shaping French-African relations.Bringing this important debate together into a single volume, this Handbook will be an essential resource for students and scholars interested in Francophone Africa.

“Postcolonial theory” has become one of the key issues of scholarly debates worldwide; debates, so the author argues, which have become rather sterile and are characterized by a repetitive reworking of old hackneyed issues, focussing on cultural questions of language and identity in particular. Gradually, a gulf has emerged between Anglophone and Francophone thinking in this area. The author investigates the causes for the apparent stagnation that has overtaken much of the current debate and explores the particular characteristics of French global strategy and cultural policy, as well as the divergent responses to current debates on globalization. Outlining in particular the contribution of thinkers such as Césaire, Senghor, Memmi, Sartre and Fanon to the worldwide development of anti-imperialist ideas, she offers a critical perspective on the ongoing difficulties of France’s relationship with its colonial and postcolonial Others and suggests new lines of thought that are currently emerging in the Francophone world, which may have the capacity to take these debates.

This book deals with the economic and developmental challenges facing contemporary society. The social structures, the political institutions, the movements and ideologies, as well as cultural dilemmas, are considered in depth to give the fullest picture of the twenty-first century development.The contributors represent a range of expertise in economics, business management, sociology, linguistics, political science and cultural studies. Their diverse backgrounds and perspectives permit this publication to explore new avenues of debate, which represent a significant contribution to the understanding of the present problems and solutions.